'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎540] (631/905)

540
ANCIENT KINGDOMS
[CHAP. XXI.
Extent of
Palestine.
Zobah and
Hamath.
Syria of Da
mascus.
in Wadi A seasonal or intermittent watercourse, or the valley in which it flows. -el-Arish, 1 northward to Jebel-el-Hor, or Amana,
the Jebel-el-Akra (bald mountain) of the Arabs, 2 eastward
to Hamath, and, again, southward by Chatsar 'Enan and
Dan, to Riblah and Tiberias: Acco, opposite to the latter, is
nearly the central point between Mount Hor and the brook
of Egypt; and, whatever is situated between the Dead Sea,
Hamath, Chatsar, 'Enan, and this brook, is the promised land
of the Pentateuch. 3
In the patriarchal age this extensive tract was divided into
cantons, or districts, which afterwards became petty kingdoms.
The more northern, and probably the earliest of these, was
Aram Zobah, 4 which touched Aram Naharaim, or Mesopo
tamia, and possibly is the Hobah of Genesis, 5 being on the left
hand, or north of Damascus. That part of the adjoining
valley of the Orontes which lies to the north-west of Zobah
appears to have constituted the ancient kingdom of Hamath,
of which Riblah, on the east side of Ain 6 (the fountain), after
wards Hamath the Great (see above, page 424), or Epiphania,
was the capital: this kingdom, in the time of Solomon, was
part of Zobah, being called Hamath Zobah ; 7 and, subse
quently, it contained the Roman districts of Cyrrhestica,
Chalcitis, Chalybonitis, and Epiphania, with part of Palmy-
rena.
The little but important kingdom called Syria of Da
mascus, was formed by some bands under Rezon, the son of
Eliadad, who, having fled from king Hadadezer, reigned in
Damascus, 8 and was succeeded by a long line of kings, who
made war alternately on Israel and Judah.
Westward of the kingdom of Damascus was that of Aram
Maacah, 9 also called Maachati, 10 and Abel-Beth-Maachah, 15 a
1 Dr. Zunz on the Hebrew Geography of Palestine.—Benjamin of Tudela,
by A. Asher, vol. II., p. 411.
8 Ibid., pp. 412, 413, 414. 3 Ibid., pp. 418, 419.
4 1 Chron., chap. XVIII., v. 3. 5 Gen., chap. XIV., v. 15.
6 Numbers, chap. XXXIX., v. 11; 2 Kings, chap. XXV., v. 6, 20, 21.
7 2 Chron., chap. VIII., v. 3.
9 2 Samuel, chap. X., v. 6.
11 1 Kings, chap. XV., v. 20.
1 Kings, chap. XXL, v. 23, 24.
Josh., chap. XIII., v. 13.